Nico's favorite charity show, smart enough to prerecord the midnight festivities so there was time for Nico's other planned activity: a very private date with the cute hot smart funny shy classical pianist. Music is music but Nico never expected to have so much in common with someone who performed concerts in gowns and tuxes, not short skirts and kicks. Maki never acted snobby at all, buying all of Nico's albums, even the rare, hard to find singles, then sending Nico a pic of her and Dia listening to the stack of them. How could Nico not be all swoony? A dreamfuel date for a dream big diva. And Dia. Dia was the cutest. Nico had a huge stack of Dia will love them birthday presents for the planned birthday brunch. But tonight, tonight, Dia was staying with her grandparents and Nico was sneaking The Girl backstage. Nico had the urge to giggle and spin in place whenever Maki came to mind. Nico had never really done anything like this. Casual meetups a few times, nothing Nico had ever gotten really excited about. But something about that night in Nozomi and Eli's cafe had been magic. Nico wanted to give in to that feeling, that forever by the fire mood, lean in close enough to stare deep into those gemstone eyes, count every flicker of feathery eyelashes; close enough to brush a kiss against plum perfect lips, a kiss that would demand a response, spark a leveling up of non verbal communication. Nico's hands had started to itch. She knew she wanted to reach out and pull Maki closer, find out what that felt like, hip to hip, leaning in, leaning forward, pouncing…

"Sound check, Nico!" the stage manager's rushed voice over the sound system.

"Nico's here."

A quick song, a quick snack, then, maybe, just maybe if Nico was a really really good girl, a quick nap and a vivid dream.

###

The dream was nothing like this. The crowd was roaring, screaming, waving, kissing, dancing, a hype fest of post Christmas sugar and society. Light sticks waved everywhere. Nico encouraged her fans to bring their anime and K pop light sticks, offering a prize to the person who brought the most obscure one to cheer Nico on. Nico had her own collection, her fans knew that. Sometimes there were theme nights, with anime light sticks or light sticks from bands from one of the smaller K pop companies. It was fun. Nico should design her own, but it was a nice way for her fans to start conversations and show some of their personalities. Some even had ones they'd bought specifically based on idol anime characters they thought Nico resembled. Nico enjoyed that, sometimes commissioning fan art as different characters. A crowd this enthusiastic, phones and light sticks waving, lit Nico up inside, she could run on the cheers and screams for days. One of her favorite songs, then a brief break for her dancers while she did a costume change. Maybe Maki had arrived. She'd texted she was running late but the selfie Maki'd sent in her off the shoulder one piece red bodysuit had Nico forgiving her for things that hadn't happened yet. Nico found herself wanting to hurry the music so she could run offstage, an unexpected feeling.

A roar, a promise to return, dancers rushing past, and Nico was out of the spotlight, searching for a flash of red hair. A glittery, disco sparkle fedora, bouncing red curls, dangerously inviting curves in a body suit covered by a steel gray jacket, shiny silver tie bouncing as Maki waved.

"Taking a break." Nico had her mic off, handing it to the stagehand on her left, grabbing Maki and pulling her down stairs and underneath the stage to one of the changing areas.

"Hi." Maki's shy grin was as bright as the lights flickering off her hat.

"Hi." Nico knew she looked sweaty and rushed and her costume had twisted its axis to the left, but Maki's eyes seemed to be catching every expression that crossed Nico's face so Nico settled on confidently charming, her hand reaching out to Maki's waist to pull the redhead in closer, for a more intimate exchange of words.

"You are a platinum record and a sold out in three minutes tour combined."

Maki shook her head, grinning. "What kind of compliment is that?"

"The best." Nico winked, "Only the best for Nico." A step closer. "Which is you, glam and gorgeous."

Now, shy roared back, and Maki's eyes dropped, and a hand went to the hair, twisting, and Nico could have been flipped upside down by zero gravity for how she was swooning. Her fingers brushed Maki's, tangling silken strands, dropping to trace the shell of Maki's ear as Nico, on tip toe, whispered, "How about a "hi Nico" kiss?"

The ear went red, Maki turned her head, eyes wide, glancing to Nico's lips, then her other hand took Nico's, holding tightly enough to dig fingernails into Nico's palm, but drawing Nico in so close. And leaning forward. Quick, light, brush of lips, barely there enough that Nico almost bit her lip in frustration. But Nico could go slow. Maki was here. There was all night to get to champagne giddiness and breathless kissing.

But then Nico was pulled into a hug, with Maki's breath warm on her neck, and mumbling into her shoulder that sounded like "I missed you." Huge inhale, a woody, zesty scent, with layers of florals, spice, and citrus. Exotic. Somewhere to get lost. And wherever had inspired the perfume, Nico wanted to spend years there.

"You smell good."

"I'll thank Aroma for their Costa Brazil."

"Let's run away there." Nico ventured a kiss, near Maki's ear, "But it's you, not the perfume."

"You smell sweaty." Maki let Nico go, stepping back, reluctantly.

"Nico needs a shower. After the show."

"No…I didn't mean…it's not bad…just you…" Maki fumbled.

"Nico is irresistible. Nico Ni." The pose, a grin, Maki smiling.

Maki took her hat off, pulling it between her hands.

Nico leaned forward, two fingers under the open silver framework of Maki's tie shaped pendant. "This is so cool. Maki so fly."

Blinking, eyelashes, Nico getting lost for days.

A shout. "Nico! You're on."

"Fuc…" Nico froze, horrified, waiting for Maki's reaction.

Maki laughed.

Nico rolled her eyes and sprinted up the stairs. "Back soon."

On stage, into the song, audience on their feet, voices screaming Nico's name, the chorus, marry me…then to the right, an odd blip of murmuring, lightsticks dropping, phones out, spreading across the audience, the murmurs increasing as Nico segued into the next song. By the time Nico sang the chorus, the inattentive vibe had spread through the most of the audience. Two people in the front row had their phones out. Nico rushed to the front of the stage, dropped into plank mode, pushed herself out, hissing "Show Nico."

Both of them turned their phones. Nico saw a snap of Maki leaning into Nico, kissing her. From the angle, it looked like a deeper kiss than the three second tease it had been. Nico grabbed a phone, read the caption, "Billionaire heir adds Nico Ni to collection."

"What the fuck…" Nico muttered, phone returned, on her feet. She stared at the crowd, the crowd stared back. Everything had stopped. Nico started to speak. And hesitated. Was this a show not tell moment? She raised her hand. "Nico will be right back."

And Nico sprinted offstage, as her dancers waited for some kind of musical cue.

"Play anything." Nico hissed into her mic, having switched the channel to backstage. And suddenly Nico's voice singing "Love Surprise" filled the stadium, larger than life Nico strutting across all the video screens.

"Funny," Nico muttered, not amused. She searched backstage for Maki. The redhead was tucked in a corner, back to everyone, on her phone, Nico could read the anger coming off her shoulders, and almost hear the shouts. She tapped Maki on the arm, then took her free hand, pulling. "C'mon, meet the love Nico. They'll love you."

Maki's hand was an anchor, halting any movement. Maki turned, the anger etched into her face, then collapsing into soft and sad, tears filling her eyes.

"I"m so sorry, Nico."

"It's okay. Nico's great at talking to the fans. They'll love you."

Blinking, so fast, hyperspace eyelashes, galaxies of glistening tear stars against amethyst night, "My parents are sending a car."

Maki shouldn't be crying. Nico hadn't known her for long, but she knew that, an instinct like turning her face toward the sun.

"Nico has a car." Nico thought fast, was there a security risk, did Maki have a bodyguard she ditched, would Dia be in danger…oh gods, Maki's parents probably thought Dia was in danger from fans and paparazzi…"and my driver's trained in all the martial arts. And we can talk and Dia is safe with your parents and you don't have to worry…"

Maki's lips smashed into Nico's, leaving both rocking. "I'll see you soon, Nico. I promise." A quick caress on Nico's cheek, Maki glancing at her phone, then heading toward the fire exit.

"Maki." Nico just sunk to the floor, watching her date leave, lips tingling, her old year ending with a surprise kick of awful when Nico was expecting to be riding a lovestruck high. Billionaire?! Nico didn't know what to do for a billionaire. But Maki was a cute girl, the cutest. And Nico knew what to do for her.

"Nico?" Stage manager in her ear.

"We'll run the encore. Give Nico a minute. Where's my phone?"

The fastest stagehand was at Nico's side with her phone and water. Nico swiped to Maki's thread.

A message she hadn't seen.

M: I'm here, finally. My parents... (•̀⤙•́ ). You look amazing.

"parents... (•̀⤙•́ )" thought Nico.

She needed to send a Nico can roll with this message.

Or maybe, just lean into the U haul jokes.

N: Nico wanted to take you home. For a midnight snack (୨୧ ❛ᴗ❛)✧

N: Nico's place is the penthouse at The Boulevard in Seaport. If you want to run away from "parents... (•̀⤙•́ )", just have the concierge park your car and bring your and Dia's luggage up. Pass code: 2525. Nico has rooms to spare.

N: But you do owe Nico a New Year's Kiss (∩˃o˂∩)

Now to charm her other loves. She flipped her phone to the stagehand, grinned like everything was going Nico's way, and strode out into what would turn into a legendary encore.

A/N: It wouldn't be a lonelypond holiday jam if I didn't suddenly need to add one more chapter to the chapter count ; )